afp2009-01-03
Sproles scored another rushing touchdown while adding 105 yards on the ground, 45 yards on five catches through the air, and 178 combined return yardage for the Chargers (9-8), who are riding a five-game win streak, including a 52-21 thumping over AFC West rival Denver in a regular season finale that played as a de facto playoff clash.Tomlinson, who was questionable with a groin injury, logged 25 yards and a touchdown on five carries but did not play in the second half. Philip Rivers had 217 yards passing with an interception on 20-of-36 throws, while Antonio Gates, who was also a game-time decision with an ankle injury, hauled in a team-high eight receptions for 87 yards.
Peyton Manning, who picked up his third MVP award earlier this week, threw for 310 yards and a touchdown on 25-of-42 efficiency, but it wasn't enough as the Colts (12-5) had their nine-game winning streak snapped.
"The Chargers made the plays when it counted," Manning said. "Obviously a disappointing loss."
Reggie Wayne caught four balls for 129 yards and a touchdown, while Anthony Gonzalez finished with six grabs for 97 yards for Indianapolis, which was ousted by the Chargers in the playoffs for the second straight season.
Joseph Addai led an anemic running game with 44 yards and a score on 16 carries, as the Chargers had a 167-64 advantage on the ground.
"Give San Diego a lot of credit. They picked up the intensity and put pressure on us a little bit in the second half," Colts head coach Tony Dungy said.
San Diego will visit the top-ranked Tennessee Titans or AFC North champion Pittsburgh next weekend, depending on the outcome of Sunday's Baltimore/Miami bout.
The game was the second nail-biter the clubs have played this season, as a 51- yard Adam Vinatieri field goal at the final gun was the difference in a 23-20 Colts win when the teams met in Week 12.
This time around, Vinatieri's counterpart Nate Kaeding booted a key field goal, as his 26-yard kick with 31 seconds left in regulation tied it, 17-17.
The Colts didn't muster much offense with what little time was remaining, and the Chargers won the coin toss to take the opening possession of the overtime session.
San Diego took over at its own 25, and Sproles caught a key 13-yard pass on 3rd-and-11 to gain a first down. The Colts shot themselves in the foot with two holding penalties, the last handing the Chargers an extra set of downs at the Indy 35.
A defensive face mask on the very next play moved the ball to the 20, and two plays later Sproles took the ball off the left end and sprinted his way into the end zone for a 22-yard spurt, giving the unlikely AFC West champions the win over the fifth-seeded Colts.
"When I got the handoff, I saw the [defensive] end slant in," the diminutive Sproles recalled. "Once I saw that, I saw the green grass outside and tried to score."
Both clubs punted on their first cracks with the ball, and San Diego went three-and-out before Manning completed six straight passes en route to the game's first points.
The perennial Pro Bowl selection hit Gonzalez on consecutive passes for 36 and 17 yards, the latter setting up the visitors at the two, as Addai capped the 81-yard march with a one-yard plunge with 2:59 to play in the first.
San Diego punter Mike Scifres was pivotal in the Chargers' next two scoring drives, first pinning Indy at the three, which eventually led to good field position for the hosts early in the second quarter.
After taking over at the Indy 44, Tomlinson followed Gates' 30-yard reception with a three-yard TD run to tie the game 4:45 into the second. It proved to be the former MVP's last play from scrimmage.
After Vinatieri put the Colts back out front on a 43-yard field goal 3 1/2 minutes later, Scifres bombed a 67-yard punt to the Indy seven after a San Diego three-and-out. The Colts couldn't move the chains, and the Chargers again took over in enemy territory following a short punt.
Sproles' nine-yard TD run with 42 ticks left before the half finished off the 45-yard trek and gave the Chargers their first lead, 14-10.
Indianapolis' Chad Simpson nearly fumbled the ensuing kickoff, but replay confirmed his knee hit the ground before being stripped and the Colts were fortunate to be down just four at the break.
After the intermission, San Diego's defense forced the Colts to turn the ball over on downs. The Chargers, though, didn't seize momentum and punted the ball back.
On the fifth play of the next drive, Manning made a heads-up play and caught the Chargers in a defensive switch, namely defensive back Antonio Cromartie. His quick snap on 3rd-and-5 left Wayne wide open for a 72-yard touchdown and Indianapolis led 17-14 with 8:10 remaining in the third.
The Chargers then took over at their own 20 and marched down the field with Rivers doing most of the damage with his arm. Sproles, however, was stripped fighting for extra yardage down near the goal line, and the Colts recovered in the end zone for a touchback.
"The guy who typifies our season and what our guys are about is Darren Sproles," Chargers head coach Norv Turner said. "He fumbled the ball...and when that happened, there wasn't any doubt in my mind that he was going to make a big play that was going to affect this game."
Following an Indy three-and-out Rivers threw an interception in the end zone to extinguish a promising drive three minutes into the fourth.
But once again the Colts punted and Scifres dropped a pin-point punt at the Indy goal line with 2:41 to play. A sack on Manning on 3rd-and-2 from the nine yielded a punt, and Sproles' 26-yard return set up San Diego at the Indy 38 with 1:48 remaining.
Gates proceeded to make back-to-back 11-yard grabs, but Sproles was tackled just two yards short of a first down three plays later and Kaeding was called in to tie the game.
Game Notes
The Colts were without linebacker and defensive captain Gary Brackett due to a lingering right leg injury...The Chargers, the first 8-8 division winner since the Cleveland Browns in 1985, are the only NFL team with a record of .500 or worse to host a playoff game...San Diego, which owned a 26-17 edge in first downs, held a 37:09-29:11 advantage in time of possession...Indy's Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis each had two sacks in the loss...San Diego topped the Colts, 28-24, in the AFC Divisional Playoff in Indianapolis last season... Last season's NFC Championship Game was also an overtime battle, with the eventual Super Bowl champion Giants edging the Packers, 23-20.
01/04 01:08:55 ET ©2009 The Sports Network. All Rights Reserved.
Chargers VS Colts Highlights
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